5 beautiful campsites in Sweden

What better way to experience Sweden – a country renowned for its natural beauty – than camping on the shores of the country’s largest lake or falling asleep to birdsong in the clearing of a forest.

Here are five of the country’s best campsites, offering kayaking, hiking, outdoor pools, hot tubs and saunas.

Ljusdals Camping

Looking out to the horizon from this campsite’s golden beach, all you can see for miles is pine forest and navy blue lake. The accommodation itself is just a few minutes’ walk from the water’s edge, in a quiet clearing with tiled chalets. Sunbathe and jump off the pontoon into the pristine water, paddle around in a kayak, or hire a bike to explore the woods.

Camping 45

An eco-friendly campsite dotted with red-and-white painted cottages, Camping 45 is located at the foot of Hovfjället nature reserve. Open throughout the year, it’s a great base for winter skiing as well as hiking in summer, while boating trips can be arranged on the nearby fishing lake. Spend the day getting active and soaking up the natural surroundings and then return back home to relax in the campsite’s sauna.

Duse Udde Camping

Surrounded by nature reserves in the sunny town of Saffle, this campsite stands on the shores of Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Scandinavia. Go fishing or kayaking on the expansive water and cycle or hike through the area’s untouched woodland. You can also spend a few hours picking local wild fruit before heading home to your red wooden cabin to make a classic Swedish dessert, blueberry soup.

Sjöstugans Hotell & Camping

With a sandy beach on the edge of Lake Möckeln, this calm campsite makes an ideal retreat for summer. Cottages look straight out onto the water, with private patios for watching the sunset before heading to the on-site a la carte restaurant for a gourmet meal. During hot summer days, jumping off the jetty to cool down in the lake is total bliss. And you can also hire rowing boats, canoes and kayaks, or make use of the boules, kubb and volleyball sets available.

Nordic Camping Råå Vallar

With minimalist, Scandi decor featuring a warm grey colour palette and natural light pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the cottages at this rural campsite are great if you want to enjoy the outdoors without sacrificing luxury. The sandy Råå Beach is just three minutes’ walk away, and there’s also a huge outdoor pool, a hot tub and a sauna. Finish off each day with an evening barbecue on your wooden deck in the dappled shade of the silver birch trees.